Construction begins on first stage of UNSW’s Canberra City campus

Construction is underway on the first stage of the Hassell-designed University of New South Wales (UNSW) Canberra City campus.

Leading architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture, Hassell is delivering two high-performance, low-carbon, multipurpose buildings at the corner of Constitution Avenue and Coranderrk Street in Canberra’s inner southern suburb of Parkes, on Ngunnawal, Ngunawal, and Ngambri Country.

The new campus will support education and research in defence, cybersecurity and digital engineering. Designed with a strong focus on sustainability, the buildings will feature low-carbon materials, energy-efficient systems and climate-responsive design, supported by landscaped green spaces and pedestrian-friendly pathways.

“It will not only deliver a campus that revitalises the eastern edge of the Canberra CBD, but also bring new employment and students, attracting about 6,000 more students and educators to Canberra.” 

Andrew Barr, ACT Chief Minister

Consultation with Djinjama and Ngurra Advisory has helped shape the campus’s approach to honouring and connecting with Country.

The first stage of the UNSW Canberra City campus is expected to open to students in early 2028.